The movement is governed by its nine-member Universal House of Justice.

Shiraz, Persia (Iran) (1844)

Haifa, Israel

include Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Kitáb-i-Íqán

According to the movement’s official web site, "Bahá’ís believe that there is one God, that all humanity is one family, and that there is a fundamental unity underlying religion." The movement affirms that mankind has seen a series of nine "manifestations of God" (messengers or "divine educators"), said variously to include Adam, Noah, Zoroaster, Krishna, Abraham, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, the Báb, and Bahá’u’lláh. Overall, Bahá’í doctrines could be described as vague, appealing to the lowest common denominator of "spirituality."

Bahá’u’lláh was a Persian mystic and claimed to be a prophet who superseded Muhammad. Because of this, Bahá’ís have often been persecuted by both Sunni and Shiite Muslims in the Middle East, especially Iran.